The NFL controls cheerleaders’ hair color and the words they can use, but it doesn’t stop there. Some teams also have guidelines for how cheerleaders should eat. One rule stipulates that cheerleaders should always use utensils when they’re eating. They should also match the pace of their food consumption to that of their companions.
Cheerleaders are actually told that they should never eat with their fingers, even if the food requires it. It looks like chicken strips and burgers are off the menu for cheerleaders!
They Can’t Change Their Appearance
When women are hired as cheerleaders for the NFL, they’re told that they can no longer change their appearance without approval from their boss. This includes not only dying their hair or getting a new piercing, but also smaller changes.
For example, some NFL cheerleaders were unable to cut their hair without express permission from their boss. They were also formally banned from developing new skin conditions, whether it was their fault or not, or they might risk being fired from the team.
They Can’t Use Slang
Most NFL teams don’t just control what their cheerleaders do on the field, they also have rules for how the cheerleaders must act when they’re off the field. The NFL argues that cheerleaders are representing the team at all times. As such, they’re not allowed to use slang, even when they’re off duty.
Slang words include “like,” “dude,” “ain’t,” “you’s guys,” and “I seen it.” All these wors are strictly banned form a cheerleaders vocabulary, and they can get in trouble if they’re caught using this prohibited slang.
They Can’t Touch-Up Their Makeup in Public
Part of the appeal of cheerleaders is their seemingly unattainable beauty, and it looks like the NFL knows it. Some NFL guidelines tell cheerleaders that they’re not supposed to touch-up their makeup, adjust their clothing, or fix anything about their physical appearance while they’re in public.
This rule revolves around the idea that cheerleaders are supposed to be perfect. If they have to fix something about their physical appearance in public, they’re admitting they’re not perfect. We wonder if the NFL knows that no one is truly perfect and mishaps sometimes happen.
They Can Only Post ‘Appropriate’ Photos Online
The NFL claims that cheerleaders are representing the team both on and off the field. That idea also lends itself to some pretty strict rules regarding their social media. Handbooks stipulate that cheerleaders are only allowed to post photos deemed “appropriate” by the NFL.
To make sure that all cheerleaders are following this rule, their social media is checked regularly. More than one cheerleader has lost her job for posting a photo the NFL didn’t like, though the actual guidelines are a bit vague and difficult to follow.